Last year Azure SQL Database Managed Instance saw the introduction of bring your own key (BYOK) functionality for transparent data encryption (TDE). This functionality has been in the singleton database version of Azure SQL Database for a while longer and you can read about how to use that here. The experience between the two is very similar, but let’s focus on the Managed Instance side of...
January 24, 2020
Bring Your Own Key to Azure SQL Database Managed Instance TDE
24January
November 25, 2019
Building an Azure Sandbox – Part 1 – The Basics
25November
I recently posted that I was doing my annual Azure sandbox rebuild but this time I wanted to do things a little differently…all in PowerShell. Unlike previous years when I would remove most of the resources, this year I removed all of the resources. As in I log into the Azure Portal and it says no resources to display. No databases, no networks, not even an empty resource group. As I work...
November 19, 2019
Using Visual Studio Code
19November
I’m a creature of habit. I have my routine when I get to my hotel room on business trips. I have a way I like my email and notes organized. I don’t want fruits or veggies on my pizza. And I like tools that I’ve always used. Don’t mess with my tools. I know my shortcut keys in SQL Server Management Studio. I work well in the PowerShell ISE. I know my way around Visual...
November 6, 2019
Building an Azure Sandbox
06November
It’s that time of the year again. No, not fall, although I do love the weather change that’s around the corner. It’s time for me to rebuild my Azure environment! Each year I try to wipe out as much of my Azure environment and rebuild it as I possibly can. I like to keep up on product updates that I may have missed, try out new services that I haven’t gotten around to just...
September 4, 2019
Working with SQL Server Data Files
04September
Most people connect to a database, create tables, run update statements, tune queries, add indexes, and never once think about the underlying data and log files that support all these operations. Database administrators know the importance of managing those files. There are a lot of questions and things to consider. How many data files do I need?How many log files do I need?How should I configure...
August 26, 2019
Remote Desktop to Azure AD Joined Computer
26August
I’m frequently on the move and switch between devices. I could be working at home one day, at a hotel working, on site at a customer office with no internet, on a plane. I just never know. Part of my workflow is running some of my daily activities on an Azure VM. I can get to it from pretty much anywhere and it doesn’t matter what device I do or don’t have access to, I can...
August 22, 2019
Public and Demo Data Coming Soon!
22August
Any database professional that has been around the Microsoft world for more than about 3 minutes will be familiar with the old, faithful sample dataset created and published by Microsoft: Adventure Works. The Adventure Works databases follow the sales of a (fictional) multinational conglomerate looking to take over the work one bicycle sale at a time! The samples included a couple of databases...
July 30, 2019
Collecting Server Performance Metrics: PowerShell
30July
In a recent post I wrote about collecting server performance metrics using Performance Monitor, a free utility built into Windows. With a little work up front, we are able to collect metrics for minutes, hours, or even days to gain insights into how our servers are being used. I often use this to evaluate SQL Servers that my customers are migrating to Azure. It helps me figure out if their...
July 23, 2019
Collecting Server Performance Metrics: Performance Monitor
23July
Whether you’re a DBA/administrator looking to tune a server, planning for hardware updates, or looking to make a move to the cloud there are a few key performance metrics you’re going to want to collect. How do you know if the bottleneck is memory, disk or CPU? How do you know which of the Azure VM sizes to choose? The answer to these questions and other lies in the performance...
July 16, 2019
Rename Azure VM OS Disk
16July
In a recent post about creating Azure VMs using PowerShell, I noted a common issue that I run into where the name of the OS disk does not conform to naming standards. The format for a VM OS disk when created using the Azure portal or when not otherwise specified through PowerShell is {VMName}_OsDisk_1_{UniqueIdentifier}. For most organizations that does not meet their naming standards. For me, in...
